Don't blame the victims of sexual abuse

Did I actually read that Zaki Ali, the attorney for a convicted child molesteor in Elwood, was blaming the 12- and 13-year old-children for their sexual molestation at the hands of a 17-year-old male? Did I really read his words, "This case should be a lesson for all children: The decisions you make as teens and preteens can affect you for the rest of your life"? And he was talking about the child victims, not the perpetrator.

I dare Ali to look these children in the eye and say that; to look the hundreds of children who were sexually victimized by Penn State Coach Jerry Sandusky in the eye and say that; every child we read about almost daily who is sexually abused by a teacher, coach, family friend - look them in the eye and say that.

Child sexual abuse is never the victim's fault. Never. Child sexual abuse, by definition, is the coercion of a child to engage in sexual activity. The World Health Organization reminds us that, "Child sexual abuse is the involvement of a child in sexual activity that he or she does not fully comprehend, is unable to give informed consent to, or for which the child is not developmentally prepared and cannot give consent, or that violates the laws or social taboos of society."

Blaming the victim is unacceptable. Everyone is entitled to a fair trial, but blaming the victim is not an acceptable defense. One in four girls and one in six boys are sexually abused by their 18th birthday; these children will not accept that as a defense. Ninety percent of these children are abused by someone they know, love and trust; their protectors will not accept this as a defense.